There are many Christian books about the end times. So what makes Battle of the Ages by Derek Prince stand out? Why should you read this title especially? Let me answer that question, based on 5 quotes from Derek Prince's book Battle of the Ages.
1. "I believe the church needs a total revolution."
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If this is how you feel, too, then here’s your first reason to read this book. Derek Prince doesn’t simply state this; he backs it up by pinpointing some painful truths. Yet, he doesn’t play the guilt card. In his own words:
"The Holy Spirit does not cause us to feel guilty; only Satan instils guilt and makes us doubt whether we have done enough to compensate for our sin."
If you’re looking to revolutionize your own life as a Christian and you’re willing to pay the price, this Bible study will help you go deeper with God. But be aware that Derek will challenge you: You must make an honest self-evaluation to gauge the degree to which you are susceptible to deception, for only then can you arm yourself against Satan’s tactics.
2. "Deception—not sickness, poverty, or persecution—is the greatest single danger in the end of the age."
It might not be the first thing you’d think of when it comes to living in the End Times. However, understanding Satan’s plans for this age, will help you discern his schemes. As Derek Prince says:
"How can we protect ourselves from being deceived by Satan’s supernatural signs and wonders? We must receive a love of the truth. Cultivating a love of the truth entails more than reading your Bible daily, going to church, and hearing sermons. It means having a passionate commitment to the truth of God. By arming ourselves with the truth as expressed in God’s Word, we can avoid much deception. But if we remain ignorant about His truths and teachings, we deserve to be deceived."
In Battle of the Ages Derek Prince reveals several of Satan’s key deceptions and schemes that we all should be mindful of in this day and age.
3. "In the Christian church, supernatural activity should be regarded with neither blind faith nor cynical skepticism."
Battle of the Ages is a theologically balanced book, fully embracing and encouraging a Spirit-filled life, with all supernatural gifts from God, while also being solemnly aware of the risk of spiritual deception. And both are urgently needed in the church.
Derek stresses that only by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit can we live the type of life God expects of us. Meanwhile, he also shows from the Bible that we have to play our part. Fasting, for instance, can be a tool for our spiritual growth. Our material needs and fleshly desires should not be determining our daily choices. We should be led by the Holy Spirit in all aspects of our lives. Speaking on that subject, he says:
"Some people treat the Holy Spirit like an emergency vehicle or 9-1-1 number. When all else fails, they pray. This is not the way we were designed to live. We were designed to live in an hour-by-hour, moment-by-moment dependence on the Spirit of God."
While fully operating in the power of the Holy Spirit, we also need to be mindful. At some point, Derek Prince says:
"Jesus will come to earth again for His bride, the church. But He is not the only one with plans for the end of this age. Satan has always had schemes up his sleeve to disrupt God’s purposes. To resist him, we must understand what they are."
If you want to understand what Satan is up to, and be able to discern the times we’re living in, this book is for you.
4. "Without true repentance, no one can build his life as a Christian on a solid foundation."
If you have read other books by Derek Prince before, you will recognize in Battle of the Ages his focus on the cross where Jesus Christ died on our behalf, and our need to build our lives upon him. And, also unique for Derek’s style, he makes this very practical. For instance, when he says:
"As long as we remain self-centered, we are prisoners of ourselves. Adopting a God-centered mind liberates us from slavery to selfishness and allows us to seek the glory of His kingdom."
5. "The world is not our home. When we forget that, we allow ourselves to become earthly in our focus."
Living at the close of the age is not simply a matter of holding on - to no prevail. We are heading somewhere. God is establishing His Kingdom on earth. We need to see that, because that focus gives a new perspective on everything that we do. Derek says:
"Countless Christians are stumbling around, wondering what God has in store for them. They fail to find it because they think the way the world thinks. They share the world’s values, motives, priorities, and standards. God does not reveal His will to such minds. When we stop being impressed by what the world thinks, and when we stop adhering to the world’s standards and values, we cease to be slaves to the world. What a liberating experience! Instead of working to please the world, we can live to please God."
Perfect to Stay Equipped
Intrigued by these quotes? Here are some more topics from the content:
- Signs, Wonders, and Unusual Manifestations
- Testing Movements Within the Church
- Human Personality and the Holy Spirit
- Preventing Deception
- Satan’s Evil Agenda
- Satan’s Strategies
- Recognizing and Resisting the Antichrist
- Cultivating a Life in Christ
- Overcoming the World
- Avoiding the Corruption of Lust
- Enduring to the End
The list of quotes by Derek Prince from Battle of the Ages could go on and on, but the best option is simply to read the full teaching yourself. As somebody wrote in his review of the book: "This teaching is perfect to stay equipped."
